diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 21db19c..6a59a52 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -76,6 +76,9 @@ See [release notes](https://github.com/ZimengXiong/ExcaliDash/releases) for a sp
 > [!CAUTION]
 > NOT for production use. While attempts have been made at hardening (XSS/dompurify, CORS, rate-limiting, sanitization) have been made, they are inadequate for public deployment. Do not expose any ports. Currently lacking CSRF.
 
+> [!CAUTION]
+> ExcaliDash is in BETA. Please backup your data regularly (e.g. with cron).
+
 ## Docker Hub (Recommended)
 
 [Install Docker](https://docs.docker.com/desktop/)
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7693c96
--- /dev/null
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+0.1.3
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/package.json b/backend/package.json
index 2594ba9..56d0af9 100644
--- a/backend/package.json
+++ b/backend/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "backend",
-  "version": "1.0.0",
+  "version": "0.1.3",
   "description": "",
   "main": "index.js",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/frontend/package.json b/frontend/package.json
index bb09658..17772c4 100644
--- a/frontend/package.json
+++ b/frontend/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "frontend",
   "private": true,
-  "version": "0.0.0",
+  "version": "0.1.3",
   "type": "module",
   "scripts": {
     "dev": "vite",
diff --git a/publish-docker-prerelease.sh b/publish-docker-prerelease.sh
index 5cc2a6b..000ab00 100755
--- a/publish-docker-prerelease.sh
+++ b/publish-docker-prerelease.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ set -e
 # Configuration
 DOCKER_USERNAME="zimengxiong"
 IMAGE_NAME="excalidash"
-VERSION=${1:-pre-release}
+VERSION=${1:-$(node -e "try { console.log(require('fs').readFileSync('VERSION', 'utf8').trim() + '-dev') } catch { console.log('pre-release') }")}
 
 # Colors for output
 RED='\033[0;31m'
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ echo -e "${BLUE}===========================================${NC}"
 echo -e "${BLUE}ExcaliDash Pre-Release Docker Builder${NC}"
 echo -e "${BLUE}===========================================${NC}"
 echo ""
-echo -e "${YELLOW}⚠️  This will publish images with tag: ${VERSION}${NC}"
-echo -e "${YELLOW}⚠️  Pre-release images will NOT update 'latest' tag${NC}"
+echo -e "${YELLOW}This will publish images with tag: ${VERSION}${NC}"
+echo -e "${YELLOW}Pre-release images will NOT update 'latest' tag${NC}"
 echo ""
 
 # Confirm before proceeding
diff --git a/publish-docker.sh b/publish-docker.sh
index 2ada6ef..8551dd8 100755
--- a/publish-docker.sh
+++ b/publish-docker.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ set -e
 # Configuration
 DOCKER_USERNAME="zimengxiong"
 IMAGE_NAME="excalidash"
-VERSION=${1:-latest}
+VERSION=${1:-$(node -e "try { console.log(require('fs').readFileSync('VERSION', 'utf8').trim()) } catch { console.log('latest') }")}
 
 # Colors for output
 RED='\033[0;31m'
diff --git a/version-manager.js b/version-manager.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3f1e912
--- /dev/null
+++ b/version-manager.js
@@ -0,0 +1,159 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+
+const fs = require('fs');
+const path = require('path');
+
+const VERSION_FILE = 'VERSION';
+const BACKEND_PACKAGE = 'backend/package.json';
+const FRONTEND_PACKAGE = 'frontend/package.json';
+
+const colors = {
+  red: '\x1b[31m',
+  green: '\x1b[32m',
+  yellow: '\x1b[33m',
+  blue: '\x1b[34m',
+  reset: '\x1b[0m',
+  bright: '\x1b[1m',
+};
+
+function log(message, color = 'reset') {
+  console.log(`${colors[color]}${message}${colors.reset}`);
+}
+
+function showHelp() {
+  log('ExcaliDash Version Manager', 'blue');
+  log('');
+  log('Usage: node version-manager.js [COMMAND] [VERSION_TYPE]');
+  log('');
+  log('Commands:');
+  log('  get                 Get current version');
+  log('  set VERSION         Set specific version (e.g., 1.2.3)');
+  log('  patch               Bump patch version (1.0.0 → 1.0.1)');
+  log('  minor               Bump minor version (1.0.0 → 1.1.0)');
+  log('  major               Bump major version (1.0.0 → 2.0.0)');
+  log('  sync                Sync version to all package.json files');
+  log('  help                Show this help message');
+  log('');
+  log('Examples:');
+  log('  node version-manager.js get');
+  log('  node version-manager.js set 1.2.3');
+  log('  node version-manager.js patch');
+  log('  node version-manager.js minor');
+}
+
+function getCurrentVersion() {
+  try {
+    if (fs.existsSync(VERSION_FILE)) {
+      return fs.readFileSync(VERSION_FILE, 'utf8').trim();
+    }
+  } catch (error) {
+    // Continue to default version
+  }
+  return '0.1.0'; // Default version if VERSION file doesn't exist
+}
+
+function setVersion(newVersion) {
+  // Validate version format (semantic versioning)
+  if (!/^\d+\.\d+\.\d+$/.test(newVersion)) {
+    log(`Error: Version must be in format X.Y.Z (e.g., 1.2.3)`, 'red');
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+
+  // Update VERSION file
+  try {
+    fs.writeFileSync(VERSION_FILE, newVersion);
+    log(`✓ Updated VERSION file to ${newVersion}`, 'green');
+  } catch (error) {
+    log(`Error writing VERSION file: ${error.message}`, 'red');
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+
+  // Update package.json files
+  syncVersionToPackages(newVersion);
+}
+
+function bumpVersion(bumpType) {
+  const currentVersion = getCurrentVersion();
+  const [major, minor, patch] = currentVersion.split('.').map(Number);
+
+  let newMajor = major;
+  let newMinor = minor;
+  let newPatch = patch;
+
+  switch (bumpType) {
+    case 'patch':
+      newPatch = patch + 1;
+      break;
+    case 'minor':
+      newMinor = minor + 1;
+      newPatch = 0;
+      break;
+    case 'major':
+      newMajor = major + 1;
+      newMinor = 0;
+      newPatch = 0;
+      break;
+    default:
+      log(`Error: Invalid bump type. Use 'patch', 'minor', or 'major'`, 'red');
+      process.exit(1);
+  }
+
+  const newVersion = `${newMajor}.${newMinor}.${newPatch}`;
+  setVersion(newVersion);
+}
+
+function updatePackageJson(packagePath, version) {
+  try {
+    const packageJson = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(packagePath, 'utf8'));
+    packageJson.version = version;
+    fs.writeFileSync(packagePath, JSON.stringify(packageJson, null, 2) + '\n');
+    log(`✓ Updated ${packagePath} to version ${version}`, 'green');
+  } catch (error) {
+    if (error.code === 'ENOENT') {
+      log(`⚠️  ${packagePath} not found`, 'yellow');
+    } else {
+      log(`Error updating ${packagePath}: ${error.message}`, 'red');
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+function syncVersionToPackages(version) {
+  updatePackageJson(BACKEND_PACKAGE, version);
+  updatePackageJson(FRONTEND_PACKAGE, version);
+}
+
+// Main command handling
+const args = process.argv.slice(2);
+const command = args[0];
+const arg = args[1];
+
+switch (command) {
+  case 'get':
+    console.log(getCurrentVersion());
+    break;
+  case 'set':
+    if (!arg) {
+      log('Error: Version required for "set" command', 'red');
+      showHelp();
+      process.exit(1);
+    }
+    setVersion(arg);
+    break;
+  case 'patch':
+  case 'minor':
+  case 'major':
+    bumpVersion(command);
+    break;
+  case 'sync':
+    const version = getCurrentVersion();
+    syncVersionToPackages(version);
+    break;
+  case 'help':
+  case undefined:
+    showHelp();
+    break;
+  default:
+    log(`Error: Unknown command '${command}'`, 'red');
+    showHelp();
+    process.exit(1);
+}
\ No newline at end of file